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Thread: BMW X3 2008 3.0si VANOS SOLENOIDS...

  1. #1
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    BMW X3 2008 3.0si VANOS SOLENOIDS...

    Hello to All,
    I am getting error codes 2A82 and 2A87 for Vanos intake and exhaust Solenoids. I still have the original solenoids installed with 30k miles. I started seeing the errors around 15k and did not know how to address the problem and ignored it and kept driving the car. It looks like replacing them is fairly easy but I am not sure if I should buy it from the dealer for mucho dinero or buy an aftermarket. Does anyone know who manufactures the ones sold at the dealers? If not, which manufacturer would you recommend? Also, it looks like BMW quietly replaced the original solenoid parts and has a substitute for these parts. This tells me that they discovered there were problems with the original solenoids and corrected the problem with coming out with the new solenoids but failed to do a recall. Why would these parts fail so quickly? What is the role of the oil filter cover in solenoids failing if they play a role? Who manufactures the best vanos solenoids?

    Kind Regards,
    Last edited by evildealers; 12-06-2021 at 05:49 PM. Reason: To add pictures

  2. #2
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    If you are getting codes for both solenoids, it is probably not the solenoids, but either a vacuum leak or an oil pressure problem. You need to remove their upstream "filters" and check for sludge/debris; if that is present no solenoid will every work correctly.

    I have 185k miles on my original BMW solenoids and have had zero issues with them. There has been no solenoid recall to my knowledge. When the solenoids "fail" it is usually not a solenoid problem, but an oil-delivery problem due to a lax oil change regimen (i.e. following the marketing department's 15k mile service interval).
    Last edited by dukedkt442; 11-28-2021 at 07:02 PM.
    E21 build

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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by dukedkt442 View Post
    If you are getting codes for both solenoids, it is probably not the solenoids, but either a vacuum leak or an oil pressure problem. You need to remove their upstream "filters" and check for sludge/debris; if that is present no solenoid will every work correctly.

    I have 185k miles on my original BMW solenoids and have had zero issues with them. There has been no solenoid recall to my knowledge. When the solenoids "fail" it is usually not a solenoid problem, but an oil-delivery problem due to a lax oil change regimen (i.e. following the marketing department's 15k mile service interval).
    Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post. I appreciate those who truly want to help others in need...

    If you have a vacuum leak these are the symptoms: ( My car has none of these symptoms)

    Warning Signs that Your BMW has an Intake System Vacuum Leak

    • Cracked vacuum lines. A common reason for a vacuum leak is a damaged vacuum line. ...
    • Hissing sound. ...
    • Difficulty accelerating. ...
    • Stalling or trouble starting. ...
    • Check engine light.


    Causes of Low Oil Pressure (my car does not have any of these symptoms either)

    In order to truly get to the root of the problem, you must first understand why the oil pressure in the engine may be low. Each cause presents unique challenges and requires specific repairs.

    • Low oil level is the most common and most obvious cause of low pressure. As you drive, oil is used up over time and needs to be replaced at regular intervals. When your oil is low, the pressure drops. If you have topped off your engine oil recently, the problem may be an oil leak.
    • Old engine oil could cause low pressure in your BMW’s engine because it loses its viscosity over time. Thin oil reduces pressure.
    • Overheating of the engine may cause the oil to thin out and decrease pressure the same as worn engine oil might. High temperatures and overuse changes the viscosity of the oil.
    • Worn bearings and valves fail and can cause oil to leak and they often prevent proper flow of oil through the engine, causing pressure to drop.

  4. #4
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    That's a nice google search. Please understand that I do this professionally.

    Vacuum leaks do typically manifest themselves in run-time issues, which your N52k is exhibiting due to the VANOS codes; the symptoms are largely the same. I promise you, I've seen those VANOS codes pop up due to vacuum leaks.

    With respect to oil pressure, one needs to understand the oil circuit and the changes in pressure throughout it. Pressure as monitored by the sending unit is not the same as across both sides of the filter, across the bearings, and especially at the end of the circuit where the VANOS screens, solenoids, and cam phasers in that order. Oil pressure is in a constant state of decrease from the pump to the sump. An engine can be running perfectly acceptable 60psi at the main bearings and have less than 10 (or 5) psi at the solenoids due to sludge build up at the screens. They are there as a maintenance item in order to save the solenoids. I have replaced cam phasers, lifters, rockers and camshafts due to pressure drop at the VVT cam phasers on engines that showed otherwise perfectly within-spec oil pressure at their gauge sending units.

    In regards to your original question: BMW sells the best solenoids. I have 185k miles on mine, but I also remove and inspect their screens every 50k miles (they've been perfectly clean due to my 5k OCI with quality oil, as per UOA).
    Last edited by dukedkt442; 11-29-2021 at 12:27 PM.
    E21 build

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    I buy socks from Amazon.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by dukedkt442 View Post
    That's a nice google search. Please understand that I do this professionally.

    Vacuum leaks do typically manifest themselves in run-time issues, which your N52k is exhibiting due to the VANOS codes; the symptoms are largely the same. I promise you, I've seen those VANOS codes pop up due to vacuum leaks.

    With respect to oil pressure, one needs to understand the oil circuit and the changes in pressure throughout it. Pressure as monitored by the sending unit is not the same as across both sides of the filter, across the bearings, and especially at the end of the circuit where the VANOS screens, solenoids, and cam phasers in that order. Oil pressure is in a constant state of decrease from the pump to the sump. An engine can be running perfectly acceptable 60psi at the main bearings and have less than 10 (or 5) psi at the solenoids due to sludge build up at the screens. They are there as a maintenance item in order to save the solenoids. I have replaced cam phasers, lifters, rockers and camshafts due to pressure drop at the VVT cam phasers on engines that showed otherwise perfectly within-spec oil pressure at their gauge sending units.

    In regards to your original question: BMW sells the best solenoids. I have 185k miles on mine, but I also remove and inspect their screens every 50k miles (they've been perfectly clean due to my 5k OCI with quality oil, as per UOA).
    instead of looking at the obvious, you want me to check other things out? Why not pulling out the solenoids and run some tests on them? this would be more of a logical choice… and possibly clean them and install back in the car to see if it resolved the problem. If not, replace the solenoids to see if that fixes the problem. There are device sensors all over the car for a reason. The error/fault codes are also in place for a reason so that people don’t guess as to what might going wrong with their cars… I get the feeling you work for BMW. BMW may sell parts but does BMW actually manufacture the part? They have hundreds possibly thousands of third party supply vendors for their vehicles. If there is oil pressure issues I would get an error code for that also… For once, instead of covering up for their scumbag dealers, BMW should own their faults and come out and announce the recalls when they are responsible for their own design/manufacturing flaws…

  6. #6
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    It’s probably worth removing and cleaning the solenoids, easy and free. They mount with a spacer and an o-ring type thing, if I remember correctly. Have read that you can activate them with a 9v battery in order to clean better, and make sure they move freely.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dmytro.a View Post
    It’s probably worth removing and cleaning the solenoids, easy and free. They mount with a spacer and an o-ring type thing, if I remember correctly. Have read that you can activate them with a 9v battery in order to clean better, and make sure they move freely.
    I was thinking about testing them with my multimeter first to see if they are any good before proceeding with the cleaning. I should be getting between 10.7 and 11.2 ohms if they are in a good state as I understand it. Instead of a 9V battery, I have a 12V battery I can use to see if they respond to dc power. Thanks for the advice. I am seeing a lot of BMW owners with the same stupid solenoid issues/error codes and yet, no action from BMW in the way of a recall… It is truly shameful! I am hoping someone out there will get angry enough to file a law suit to resolve this matter for good in the near future…

  8. #8
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    The N52n is a double-VANOS engine; each camshaft has a chain sprocket (vam phaser) driven by the timing chains (from the crankshaft sprocket), but those cam sprockets aren't rigidly coupled to their cams. Because of this, valve timing (VANOS) for both intake and exhaust is continuously variable. The cam phasers are hydraulically controlled using high oil pressure to advance them, and an internal spring to retard them. The cam solenoids are electro-mechanical devices that control the camshaft timing relative to the crankshaft rotation. The solenoid receives an electrical signal from the DME to operate a small piston that rides in its bore, allowing more or less oil to flow through the solenoid into the cam phaser. The solenoid pistons do not have seals but rely in perfectly machined surfaces to operate effectively. This is why oil pressure to the solenoids is critical.

    As the solenoids lie towards the end of the oil circuit, they are subject to somewhat unfiltered oil that has traveled through other parts of the engine, and have their own secondary set of "filters" (the screens mentioned above), which also contain check valves to prevent pressure bleed down. The slightest debris in the solenoids can damage them or jam them, hence the need for clean oil at proper (elevated) pressure. If the screens accumulate varnish, sludge, or other unfiltered particulate, they lower oil pressure downstream of them (at the solenoids). Because they solenoids can no longer operate effectively, engine performance is reduced until timing control is outside the limits of the DME, and codes are stored. The lack of sufficient oil to the solenoids has a few deleterious effects: 1) the piston and bore wear, further lowering oil pressure to the cam phasers 2) the solenoids are oil-cooled, and can run hot. This would change piston-bore tolerances. Also, because the oil in the solenoid is beginning to be starved of cooling, clean oil (and its detergents), varnish and sludge build up in the solenoids, further inhibiting their function. The extra heat could damage the electrical components of the solenoid as well.

    So no, oil pressure is not extraneous to cam solenoid operation, but is 100% essential and integral.

    By all means remove, test, and clean the solenoids; as mentioned above, a 9v battery and some test leads are all that is required, and takes all of 10 minutes to remove, test, and reinstall both. If the solenoids are dirty or malfunctioning after only 30k miles, you can replace and continue to replace the solenoids but never get to the root cause(s) of the issue. Chase the problem, not the symptom. It also takes 10-15 minutes to remove, inspect, and clean the solenoid screens (filters) as well. Dirty screens are also the harbinger of the condition of the rest of the engine's internals. That both solenoids are currently problematic screams of an issue other than the solenoids; they are merely a symptom.

    I have a 2008 E83 with 185k miles. I am still running the original solenoids, and have never had to clean them. I have also never had a dash light or solenoid code. The only engines that have solenoid issues are the ones that haven't been properly maintained.

    No recall will ever occur for a 14 year old car for a problem that is owner-induced.
    Last edited by dukedkt442; 11-30-2021 at 07:52 AM.
    E21 build

    BMW CCA 584213

    I buy socks from Amazon.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by dukedkt442 View Post
    The N52n is a double-VANOS engine; each camshaft has a chain sprocket (vam phaser) driven by the timing chains (from the crankshaft sprocket), but those cam sprockets aren't rigidly coupled to their cams. Because of this, valve timing (VANOS) for both intake and exhaust is continuously variable. The cam phasers are hydraulically controlled using high oil pressure to advance them, and an internal spring to retard them. The cam solenoids are electro-mechanical devices that control the camshaft timing relative to the crankshaft rotation. The solenoid receives an electrical signal from the DME to operate a small piston that rides in its bore, allowing more or less oil to flow through the solenoid into the cam phaser. The solenoid pistons do not have seals but rely in perfectly machined surfaces to operate effectively. This is why oil pressure to the solenoids is critical.

    As the solenoids lie towards the end of the oil circuit, they are subject to somewhat unfiltered oil that has traveled through other parts of the engine, and have their own secondary set of "filters" (the screens mentioned above), which also contain check valves to prevent pressure bleed down. The slightest debris in the solenoids can damage them or jam them, hence the need for clean oil at proper (elevated) pressure. If the screens accumulate varnish, sludge, or other unfiltered particulate, they lower oil pressure downstream of them (at the solenoids). Because they solenoids can no longer operate effectively, engine performance is reduced until timing control is outside the limits of the DME, and codes are stored. The lack of sufficient oil to the solenoids has a few deleterious effects: 1) the piston and bore wear, further lowering oil pressure to the cam phasers 2) the solenoids are oil-cooled, and can run hot. This would change piston-bore tolerances. Also, because the oil in the solenoid is beginning to be starved of cooling, clean oil (and its detergents), varnish and sludge build up in the solenoids, further inhibiting their function. The extra heat could damage the electrical components of the solenoid as well.

    So no, oil pressure is not extraneous to cam solenoid operation, but is 100% essential and integral.

    By all means remove, test, and clean the solenoids; as mentioned above, a 9v battery and some test leads are all that is required, and takes all of 10 minutes to remove, test, and reinstall both. If the solenoids are dirty or malfunctioning after only 30k miles, you can replace and continue to replace the solenoids but never get to the root cause(s) of the issue. Chase the problem, not the symptom. It also takes 10-15 minutes to remove, inspect, and clean the solenoid screens (filters) as well. Dirty screens are also the harbinger of the condition of the rest of the engine's internals. That both solenoids are currently problematic screams of an issue other than the solenoids; they are merely a symptom.

    I have a 2008 E83 with 185k miles. I am still running the original solenoids, and have never had to clean them. I have also never had a dash light or solenoid code. The only engines that have solenoid issues are the ones that haven't been properly maintained.

    No recall will ever occur for a 14 year old car for a problem that is owner-induced.
    You would be surprised to find out what consumer protection laws are in existence in each state in the USA. You are wrong. In addition, I took great care of my car with all the maintenance needs including the frequent oil changes. You keep shooting out of your rear… I told you in my previous posts not to respond to my posts and you can’t seem to help yourself for some reason…. I am turning everything to my attorney to handle it. Expect a recall from BMW in the near future…

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